Whitaker Faces Conflict of Interest Questions

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – A woman appointed to the St. Louis Zoo Museum District Board by County Executive Charlie Dooley is facing questions about a possible conflict of interest.

Pat Whitaker is coming under fire from fellow ZMD Board Member Charlie Valier. Valier says it doesn’t look right that the Science Center is considering a $100,000 design contract with Whitaker’s architetural design firm Arcturis, because she votes on tax funding for the Science Center.

“Her firm is apparently going to be awarded a contract to do work at the Science Center, which is a subdistrict of us,” he says. “Under Section 105 of the Missouri Statutes, that’s a conflict.”

Whitaker told the ZMD board that she would refrain from discussing the matter or voting to avoid any conflict of interest.

UPDATE [4:05 p.m.]: Patricia Whitaker has resigned from the Zoo Museum District Board.